Hone conditioning process



Fab. 6, 1945. 'w, O FLATT 2,368,979

' BONE CONDITIONING PROCESS Filed 001:. 12, 1944 Patented Feb. 6, 1945UNITED 1 STATES PATENT OFFICE HONE CONDITIONING PROCESS William 0.Flatt, Fort Worth, Tex. ApplicationOctober 12, 1944, Serial No. 558,414

4 Claim.

Thi invention relates to abrasives and more particularly to the typeknown as hones which are specially adapted for use in sharpening andconditioning the brittle tempered steel of which razor blades arefabricated. Such hones are usually fashioned in the form of blocks.Whetstones of varying granular and cellular structure and carborundum orcorundum blocks are exempletive of the type of hone to which myinvention iseminently suited, although abrasives of various other typesare suitable for honing and my invention is equally applicable to them.

Hitherto the primary object in processing abrasives, including bones, toenhance their wearing and sharpening characteristics has been toimpregnate the pores of the material with some substance which possesseslubricating characteristics. The theory behind this objective seems tohave been that by virtue of such impregnation the fatty substance withwhich the pores were filled would during the useful life of the honemigrate to the surface in quantities suflicient'to form adequatelubrication for the grinding job. The suggestion that bones of the typehere under consideration might be treated with grease, such as warmVaseline, and then baked or burned until dry has been made heretofore.In some instances tallow base compounds have been used and in otherssynthetic resins of various types havebeen suggested as capable ofperforming the self-lubricating function over a substantial period oftime.

The above described processing has proved satisfactory to a certainextent where a relatively large amount of heat is created during thegrinding process and for. that reason a substantial quantum oflubrication is necessary. This condition does not exist in the case ofrazor hones and I have found that oil or a greasy substance of any typeused as a conditioner for homes soon forms alongwith the gritwhichinvariably accumulates upon the working surface a pasty mass which clogsthe pores of the stone and greatly impairs the sharpening characteristicof the working surface. This necessitates frequent processing to obtaina fresh working surface capable of satisfactorily honing the temperedsteel of the blade.

My invention comprises an improved process whereby homes of the typereferred to may be conditioned to improve their sharpening qualitiesover a substantially indefinite period of time. In contradistinction tothe teachings heretofore available, I propose to so process the honethat throughout the whole mass of .the material. .As a result theabrasive working surfaces of the hone are accentuated. Hones 'ofthe typeunder consideration are quite porous andv such porosity is emphasized asa result of my process to obtain a .maximum hollow areawithin the bodyof the material, thus providing a maximum number of thin cutting edgeson theworking surface as repeated sharpenings wear'away the facerof suchsurface; These myriad minutecutting edges ob-.

tained by thoroughly cleansing the pores produce an excellent grindingaction, and'the difli'culty referred to above resulting from theformation of the pores are thoroughly cleared and cleaned a pasty masson the working surface is entirely eliminated.

comprises the steps of e e to some extent the interior deposit. Becauseof the porous nature of the hone material, gas

evolved during this initial oilburning'step will penetrate into thematerial, aiding the heat applied in opening the pores andpreconditioning the material for the second step in the process." Whenthe flame from thesurface oil is extin--' guished and the hone is stillhot, it is again immersed in the oil. The pores of the hone will fillvery quickly this time and theoil penetrates from all sides deep intothe body of thehone by virtue of the preconditioning step which hasopened the pores and cleared, to a large extent. the passages formingthe interstices or pores between granular particles. y 7.

When substantially saturated and while still hot the hone is againsubjected to heat suificient to ignite the oil. There is an explosiveignition,

probably due to the gas evolution still taking" place within theinterior pores and the discharge from the surface pores,.and the honeinstantly; becomes what may be described as a ball of fire.

This second burning step is of suflicient duration to burn substantiallyall of the oil out of the entire mass. The gas evolved during this.second burning step passesthrough the pores and, asin the initialburning, functions to clear the same and condition the walls of thematerial surrounding the pores. By virtue of the deep penetration on thesecond immersion, gas isevolved throughout substantially the entire massof the material and results in a hone uniformly v processed throughoutits entire mass.

For purposes of illustration and to assist in visualizing the varioussteps of the process more clearly, reference is made to the drawing,whereinv like numerals refer to like parts throughout the severalfigures, and wherein: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of burner eminently suited tocarry out the process described herein, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

' tail and illustrated one embodiment of an appa- The apparatusillustrated comprises a rectan- I gular gas burner-coil. broadlyindicated- :by the numeral ill and fed from an intake l2. Within. therectangle is seated a frame, preferably formed of wire, comprising pairsof end supporting legs;

l4 and I6 extending diagonally upwardly and inwardly. Between the upperends of each pair:

of legs the wire is formed into spaced pairs of transversely alignedpockets or seats l 8' within each pair of which hones may-be positionedin whichtcomprises the steps of immersing the same such manner that theendsthereof are-located over a series of burner outlets 20.

' AfterKimmersion-Qf one ormore honesinthe manner here: described,theysare seatedin pockets Htiin the manner illustrated in the drawing.The gasflame ais rturnedisufficiently high to ignite the oilron:the-rhone, 'theniiturned .low but not completely off. The-lreasonnfor:not placing the body of the-.:hone directly over-,the burner or .heat.

sources-is ibecause :thecdrymheat therefrom, even whenflturned: low;would havea tendency to bleach :i-the flower sedge 50f. the hone,::thereby ads rerselyafiecting itsfstemper, :upon which thesharpeningqualities 10f: :the :hone largely idepend.wheni-soxpositionedithe:hone ,willburn from bothendsitnwardzthecentertandwill become. enveloped with flame. The burnershould continue in operation-until the pl'flame extinguishes. itself, atwhich .timeandi wl'zileltheihoneis still hotiitvis' withsome,good-,cleaner,readily obtainable 11111116 marketforithat purpose.'Soapshould atlyno time;

, be ,used, because ofthearesultant closure of the pores of the hone,whicht-w-ould :materiallyrduce the effectivenesspfv the cutting edges.on the workin v surfaceeandalsotend in ashort time; to form .the,ohjectionablepasty mass; to which reference,rhasjalreadywbeen made.-

ltis believedgthat,the, remarkably durable and effectivesharpening:-,characteristics which disjtinguish a .hone processed,-inaccordance. with, my-

inventicn may he, ,in. part at vleasl}, attributed to theisubstantialquantities of gasevolved from Ithe relatively large amount /Qf containedoil present during the second burning operation. This gas,

evolvedthroughouttm hone body-by reason of .ratus for satisfactorilyperforming the same, it'

will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself in any Way totheimeans or mechanism illustrated for performing ithe various stepsinvolved and for that reason I wish to limit my- =se"1f only within thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 'LThat process of conditioning a razor hone in oil,applying sufficient heat to a marginal portion thereof itoignite thesurface oil, again immersing the'hone while still hot for a sufficienttime toobtain a condition of substantial saturafi pD1y ng sufficientheat to aadifierent v:mar-

, ginaliportion thereof :tojignite the surface; oil,'.and

permittingthe resultantflame-to burnzuntil ,selfextinguishmentoccurs. 1r 2.That process of conditioning a razor hone which comprises the, stepsof soakingithersame in oil, applying sufficient heat to-a marsinalpor:

tion, thereof to ignite the surface oil, reducing the-quantum of heatapplied to .a minimum while.

permitting the resultant ,fiame toburn until.'selfextinguishment occurs,immersing thehone while still hot for a sufficienttime to obtainacondiation of, substantial saturation, applying sumcient heat in similarmanner to .a different marginal portion :thereof to ignite the surfaceoil; and @per mitting' the resultantfiame to burn untilselfextinguishment occurs.

,3. FIEhat process ofconditioning a v razor hone whichvcompri es,thesteps oftimnregnating the same with oil, applying sufficient heat toone 1 marginal face thereof ,to ignite, the surface oil,

immediately reducing .thelguantum :of heat ,ap-

plied to aminimum .while permitting ,the.resu1t I ant .flame toburnuntil, self -extinguishment 0C1" curs, again impregnating the bone,whilestill hot with, oil fora sufficient time tobbtain acondie tionofsubstantial saturation, applying suflicient heat to the oppositemarginal portion thereof toignite the surface oiL'andreducing ,thequanturn of, heatapplied to;.a minimum whilepermitting .the resultantflame to burn until, self! extinguishmentoccurs, l k

A. That process of conditioning a razorfhone which, comprisese'the.steps of impregnating the same withvlubrilcant, applyingsuificientflheat to opposite endsof one edge of saidhone'tdignite thesurface lubricant, reducing the quantumiof heat applied to a minimumwhile permitting the resultant flame to burn until self-.extinguishmentoccurs,, again impregnating the hone while still hot with lubricant toobtain acondition of substantial saturation, applying s ufficient" heat"to opposite ends of the other'edge of saidhone to .ignite the surfacelubricant, and permittingfthe

